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86.
aged 65.

On the 21st of September died at German-
town Pa the celebrated Mr. John E. Harwood
one of the most accomplished comedians and
refined gentlemen the American stage ever had.
He lacked enterprize and industry it is said
but all agree as to his incomparable merits. He
died in the meridian of life being 39 years of
age. A clear and unsullied conscience honor-
able and charitable conduct towards our fellow
beings temperance and cheerfulness of dispo-
sition conduce to longevity. These attributes
to mental and bodily faculties are the necessary
concomitants to reach the grand climaeteric.
As one of our professional defenders of the stage
truly says "With hearfelt satisfaction can I
confidently point to my profession for innumer-
able proofs of persons enyoying 'age like a lusty
winter frosty but kindly," We subjoin the
following proofs :

Macklin died aged more than 100 years ; Al-
leyn 70 ; Betterton 75 ; Colley Cibber 86 ; Mr.
Yatos 97 ; Blissett's father 84 ; Rich 70 ; Quin
73 ; Mrs. Betterton 67 ; Beard 75 ; Jefferson
76 ; Hull (the founder of the theatrical fund)
78 ; King 75 ; Moody 84 ; Packer 75 ; Mrs.
Cliue 75 ; Loe Lewis 70 ; Mattocks 65 ; Lewi
64 ; Mrs. Crawford 72 ; Bland 80 ; C. Bannis-
ter 66 ; Mr. Smith 83 ; O'Brien 75 ; Waldron
70 ; Wewitzer 64 ; Quick 64 ; Miss Pope 69 ;
Mrs. Mattocks 67 ; Mrs. Bracegirdle 85. Many
others we could name even here who only fell
victims from climate. Some have fallen by dis-
sipation. But this cause ravages all classes of
the community. The fact of a man becoming
an actor does not alter human nature in him.
As old General John Barker once said on the
election ground before Independence Hall in
Chesnut street in rebuke to a political dema-
gogue who was grossly abusing the opposite
candidate "You a republican sir and won't let
a man exercise his elective privilege without
thinking and voting as you think and vote. You
are a tyrant and a monarchist and should not
pollute the sacred hall of liberty. Put but a
man up for an office and he is a target for every
cowardly rascal to fire t from ambush." A
player is a target for every one pays for a
ticket of admission into a theatre ; for his amuse-
ment too he may fire at insult deride the per-
former in every way and that in ambush for
the actor has no means of retaliation.

Master John Howaard Payne made his first
appearance this season under the most flatter-
ing auspices. His engagement commenced De-
cember 5th. His youth figure and beauty of
features were highly prepossessing. But sixteen
years of age and petite in stature yet he ap-
peared the epitome of a Prince Hamlet in soul
and manner. His face beamed with intelli-
gence and his bearing was of the most courtly
mould. He was vigorous without rant ; chaste
but not dull. He portrayed all the quick
thought restless disposition and infirm philo-
sophy of hamlet with great judgment and tact.
Although he was small his fascination of mien
graceful action and impressive elocution im-
parted the required illusion of the scne to the
auditors and conveyed the idea of the actor
the gentleman the prince and the Hamlet. By-
the-by we copy this idea from one of the

shortest and wittiest critiques ever penned. It
appeared in a Dublin journal in 1784 when
Poe Holman Kemble and Henderson opened
as Hamlet in the same week at Dublin. It was
thus :--

"Pope the Actor.
Holman the Gentleman.
Kemble the Prince and
Henderson the Hamlet."

In this criticism certainly--"Brevity is the
very soul of wit"--more just meaning could not
more easily be condensed. Master Payne had
the good sense to select characters suitable to
his youthful aspect. He performed Young Nor-
val ; Frederick in "Lovers' Vows ;" Zaphna
("Mahomet;") Rolla Tancred Octavian Selim
("Barbarossa;") Hamlet and Romeo etc. with
great excellence and justly merited the appel-
lation of the "Young American Roscius." In
1813 he acted at Drury Lane theatre with com-
plete success. He was not inclined to the reu-
tine labor of the stock actor it would seem as
he could have taken a position in that metropo-
litan house. Starring of course was not known
there in the modern acceptation of the term.
He made professional visits to the provincial
theatres with success and afterwards enrolled
himself in the literary ranks of England. His
fame in dramatic literature is well established
in the republic of letters. His translations
from the French and those dramas founded n
that school and his original productions have
most ably contributed to the English stage. He
has served his country in eveil capacities and
reflected honor on the American annals.

"The Foundling of the Forest" was brought
out in February 1810 with great applause and
was played several nights in succession. It was
well cast. All the characters found most able
representatives. Wood's Count De Valmont was
most happily conceived and executed. The
Bertrand of M'Kenzie was an inimitable per-
formance. He was a sterling actor. Baron
Longueville was played by Warren with his
usual discrimination and judgment. Cone's
Florian was very good. But Jefferson's L'Eclair
was the flash itself. It was light airy and
neatly vivid. Mrs. Wilmot's sparkling delinea-
tion of the gay-hearted Rosabella made the
scenes with L'Eclair gems of light acting.
Their songs and duet were sung most charm-
ingly nothing of the kind could be better.
Mrs. Wood's Unknown Female displayed her
usual excellence. But Mrs. Duff's great per-
formance of this part has left an impression on
our minds not easily to be eradicated. The
pathos pity and the terror of tragedy were
most intensely given by that lady whose genius
was fitful or rather eccentric. She was a tame
actress at times. This piece was played after
its first run very often till the end of the season.

The pantomime of "Mother Goose" was also
brought out this season in February and had
a great run. "The Africans" was produced
this year. The novelties of the season were
numerous well got up and mostly successful.
Whetner they were remunerative or otherwise
the books of the theatre can alone tell. In no
calculation pertaining to a theatre is less re-
liance to be placed then in the appearance of

houses to the casual observer. This conclusion
mayy seem paradoxical but it is true.

In the latter part of this season arrived the
renowe Irish comedian Mr. John Dwyer. He
appeared in the character of Belcour at the Park
on the 14th of March with great success and
went his round of characters playing Gossamer
Rnger Goldfinch Charles Surface Archer Vapi
Rover Tangent Sir Charles Rackett Young Wild-
ing Captain Absolute and Mercutio. It was
said that he played Octavian and made in the-
atrical parlance a "glorious failure." Belcour
he generally repeated it being deemed his
master-piece. Dwyer was a splendid looking
man at this time. We remember his first ap-
pearance at the Chesnut street theatre on the
20th of April 1810. The house was full and
fashionable. At Dwyer's first entrance as Bel-
cour in the "West Indian" he electrified the
house. His manner at meeting the London
merchant Stockwell with whom he had long
corresponded and now met for the first time
was peculiar and striking. The superior ele-
gance of his mien and deportment elicited admi-
ration. His style was vivid in the extreme but
not overstrained. There was no unnatural as-
sumption of character. All his words flowed
with natural grace mingling the gaiety of the
young West Indian with the polish of the well-
bred gentleman. He certainly possessed fine
talents. He made money for the first season or
so but had not the art to keep it. His habits
were extravagant. An expensive style of living
seemed natural to him and he did not possess
the prudence or common sense to calculate the
chapter of accidents. The day of lost public
favor was not thought of ; age and all its con-
comitant evils seemed distant. The want of
such thought and anticipation is the actor's
bane--the antidote comes too late. But Dwyer
was generous and charitable and charity
covereth a multitude of sins. The family of a
decreased Irish friend of his was in this country
and requiring pecuniary aid. He heard the sad
news of their distress by accident while dining
at a hotel table. He did not finish his repast
till he found out and ministered relief to the
widow's family. The story of such traits of
character as this should be celebrated in letters
of brass but too often they are traced in sand.
We know of several instances of Dwyer's good-
ness of heart ; but we have shot beyond our
mark.

The Mirror of Taste edited by Stephen Callen-
der Carpenter in Philadelphia in 1809-'10 gives
a biography of our friend Dwyer. It says that
he was a lineal desecendant from the ancient
O'Dwyer's of Tipperary and that his father was
the best fencer of the age. That our hero ran
away as most heroes do to indulge romantic
whims and fancies at the early age of seven-
teen and commenced the life of a player in
Dublin. His success was flattering beyond any
idea that he had snguinely entertained. Mr
Dwyer played in many of the principal provin-
cial theatres of England until the year 1802. In
that year he appeared in the character of Bel-
cour at Drury Lane. He had been kept up at
this national theatre with studious care as the
successor of John Palmer. He was well studied